Envelop-machine.



E. G. SITAUDE. ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I2, |912.

Patented July 27, 1915. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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E. G. STAUDE.

ENVELOP MACHINE. APPucATlvoN FILED Nov. l2l 1912.

x Patented July 27, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 57 1 .57 52 t' 49 A 'ff- 55 I E. G. STAUDE.

- ENVELOP MACHINE. APPLl'cATloN FILED Nov. 12. 1912.

1,147,762., Y rammed July 27, 1915.

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citizen of the United States, and residentpf lll/Iinneapolis, in thecounty of 'Hennepim EDWIN G. s'raunn, pr MiNNnAPoLIs, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR, -BY iviEsNn 'ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED S'IA'IES ENVELOPECOMEANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHU- SETTS, CORPORATION.

Application filed November 12, 1912. Serial 116.730,88?.

T0 all whom it may concern.:

' Be it known that EDWIN Gr. STAUD, a

State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEnvelop- Machines, of which the following is a specifcation.

My invention relates to envelop machines and particularly .to the dryingand stacking apparatus therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a drier of very large capacityand one that is adapted for use with any size of envelop.

The invention consists generally in a continuously moving drier beltwith .means for delivering the envelops thereto.

Further the invention consists in means for adjusting the driermechanism independentlyof the envelop feeding means.

Further the invention consists in Various constructions andcombinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointedout'in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure1 isa plan view of an envelop machine with my invention applied thereto.Fig. 2 is a verticalv sectional view of the drier, taken on thesecf tionlme lw-w of Fig. 3, Fig. 3 tional view on the line x--ai of F ig. 2,Fig. 4t

is a sectional view showing the delivery mechanism,taken on the line.1/-7/ of'Fig. 3, Fi 5 and G are diagrammatic,views illustrating thesuccessive steps of-the opera-tion of the mechanism for feeding theenvelops to the drier.

In the drawing, 2 represents that portion of the machine in which thepreliminary creasing and folding opeiation of the envelop blank isperformed, and 3 that portion of the machine in which the direction ofmovement of the blank. ischanged and thecreasing` and folding operationcontinued.

el. indicates the mechanism for gluing the i'iaps and 5 is that portionof the machine where the completed envelopsare dried and stacked, thislatter apparatus forming the subject-matter of in v4 present-invention.

Referring to Fig. 3, ,G represents a side bar of the machine frame, invwhich screw shafts 7 and 8 are mounted. On these screws brackets'f) and10 are mounted and adapted to engage wlieelsll and 12 splined on shafts13 and la. Feed belts 15 and 16 pass around Specification LettersPatent;

is a secnarrator-MACHINE.

Patented July 27,1915.

these wheels and the revolution ofthe screw shafts 7 and 8 adjusts thewheels back and forth on their shafts to adapt the feed belts toenvelops of different sizes. The loose flap of the envelop as it is fedtoward the drier is preferably engaged by a bar 17 which preventstheflap from being pressed down and stuck to thesurface of theY envelop.A rod 18 engages-the edge of the flap and presses it inwardly over theenvelop during the feeding operation. The shafts 13 and 111 are capableof relative movement to allow the belt wheels to yield as theenvelops'pass between them. On the. shaft 19 is a roll 20 that isadapted to coperate with a roll 2l von the shaft 22.

2.3 is an arm loosely mounted on thelshaft 22 and in the path of the cam24 on the shaft 14, so that with each revolution of the shaft 14 the arm23 will be roel-'ed on its pivot. Rolls 25 .and 26 are mounted in thearm 23 and the roll 25 preferably has a jacket or sleeve 25 thereon of'yielding material, suoli as rubber, which contacts with the surface ofthe roll 26. .This jacket does not,"however, extend the full length ofthe roll 2 5 and consequently a gap or-opening is providedbetween aportion of the rolls 25 and 26 to allow the loose flap of the envelop t0passbetween the rolls without being subjected to pressure which mighttend to stick' the arm '23 will be rocked and the rolls'25 oftheenvelops to the drier, as will hereinafter appear.

28 and 29 represent screwvshafts mounted in the frame 6 and supporting arectangular frame 30. A shaft 31 is journaled in bearings in saidrectangular frame and has one end extending across the screw shaft 8 andprovided with a. worm gear 32 which meshes with a. screw 33 that issplined on the shaft 14. The hub of the screw 33 has an annular groove34 therein to receive an arm 35 secured to the frame 30. The shaft 3l isthus' move the frame 30 horizontally the Worm 33 ioo Willjslide oii theshaft 14: and continue to 110 ings 39 are provided with adjusting screws42 by means of which th'e shaft 38 can be ,raised or lowered to tightenor loosen the belts 41, as the operation of the machine may require. Theupper portions of the standards are connected and braced by a drier. Thecarrier blades move continurod 43. Shafts 44 and 45 have cross-heads 46supporting upright channel bar guides 47 in which the sprocket belts 41are adapted to slide.

Journaled in bearings in the links of the belts 41 are a series ofspindles 48 each having a crank 49 at one end, formed, preferably, bybending one end of the spindle out of line with-the main portionthereof, the crank terminating in an end portion 50 parallel,substantially, with the spindle and adapted to slide in upright guidebars 51 which are secured to disks 52 and 53, preferably of cast metalhaving hubs mounted on the shaft 31 and bearing 39. The guide barspreferably have adjustable connections as at 54with the disk 52 topermit vertical adjustment of the disk 52 with the shaft 38 and thesprocket wheels carried thereby.

The disks 52 and 53 have cam tracks 55 and '56 therein, the walls ofwhich engage l the ends 50 of the cranks to rotate the spindles apredetermined distance as they make the turn around the sprocket wheelsat the top and bottom of the drier. Upon the spindles 48 carrier blades57 are secured, between which the envelops are fed by the rolls 25 and26. The belts 41 and blades 57 form an endless envelop carrier for theously instead of with a step by step motion, as usual in devices of thiskind, and by tilting the delivery rolls 25 and 26 at a speedcommensurate with that of the drier belt I am able to deliver theenvelops, one at a time, to each carrier blade without any interruptionin the motion of the belt. The drier thus has'. a much'larger capacityand will handle a greater number of envelops inl a given time than usualin devices of this kind.

Near the delivery rolls 25 and 26 I prefer to provide a guide plate 58having an outwardly curved end contiguous to said rolls and carriedpreferably by a screw 59 that is adjustably mounted in the frame of thedrier. Opposite the delivery rolls prefer to provide ya stop plate 60supported in the path of the envelop as itisl delivered justablysupported to allow movement of the plate toward or from the belt toadapt it for envelops of different length. Upon opposite sides of thedrier beltl prefer to 7o provide guide rods 62 and 63, arrangedvertically near the outer edges of the carrier blades, the guides 62being preferably supported by pins 64 which are adjustable in supportson the standards 36. The guide *l5 rods 63 have inwardly curved lowerportions extending under the carrer'belt and are preferably providedwith ears 65 having slots 66 therein to allow for vertical adjustnent ofsaid rods on screws 67 and pins 68 80 which are adjustable horizontallyin the drier frame. On each side of the carrier belt near thebearings ofthe spindles 4,8 I prefer to. provide belts 69 upon which the inneredges of the envelops rest in making the turn over the top of the drier.These belts may be made of any suitable material. Parallel guides 70 areprovided for the belts. at the bottom of the drier, said guidesehav-gling a horizontal portion beneath which the.

. 7 3 and 74 to adapt the stacker for envelops of different Width. 10o

For the purpose of counting the envelops as they are delivered from thedrier, I prefer to provide a star-wheel 75 mounted on a shaft 76 havingbearings in the bracket 72, the prongs of the star-wheel being arrangedto pass through recesses 77 provided 'in the outer edges of the carrierblades, the lower edges of the envelops contacting with the prongs ofthe star-wheel and rotating it step by step as the drier belt revolves.A disk 77 is geared to the shaft 76 to make onehalf of a revolution witha certain predetermined number of complete revolutions of thestar-wheel,for instance, fifty or twentyfive, las maybe desired. The details ofthis counter device are not shown, as no claim is made to the sameherein. The disk 77 is mounted near the ends of the carrier blades andis provided on its periphery with pushers 7 8`which move into contactwith the end 120 of an envelop atpredetermined intervals to push theenvelop endwise so that its opposite end will project beyond the stackor pile of envelops, as usual in counting devices of this nature. Nearthe opposite end of the carrier blades is a guide plate 79 supported `byan adjustable pin 80 and movable there- Y which the envelops are stackedas they are.

are moved horizontally upon the barsl 71 against' a stop device 83, thebars 71 with the guide-plates forming areceptacle ,in

discharged from the drier.

In the operation of the machine, thel completed envel'ops with the looseflaps glued by means of' the'apparatus shown and described in my pendingapplication tiled Oct..

' 21, 1912, Serial No. 727,001, will pass out from between the feedbelts l and 16 with the glue or gum o'n the loose flapI only par-Vtially dried. rlhe tilting rolls will receive the cnvelops 'from theyfeed belts and with-A out applying any pressure to the loose naps orcausing them to come in contact at any point with the envelops, willdeliver the eli-- velops, one at a time, to the carrier blades, movingcontinuously past the`delivery rolls 25 and 26. The drier belt is ofAsufficient height so that lby the time the envelophas been carried upover the top of the drierand Y down to the bottom thereof, the glue onthe lower feed bclts, of an upright drier belt loose fiap will besulliciently `dryto allow j the envelops'to be stacked and pressedclosely together.

l have found the continuously moving drier belt a valuable addition to amachine of this character,'for by its use 'l am able' to dry theeiivelops as eife'ctua'lly as when the belt operates intermittently,and'- yalso greatly increase the capacity of the. drier. 'By the'adjustment ofthe screws 28- and 20 the enti-re drier can be movedhorizontally to change its position with respect to the delivery rollsand adapt the machine for handling envelops of various sizes.v

l claim as my-inveiitionz;

1. ln an envelop machine, the combination with ii traveling dryingdevice, of .feed-.

ing means operable to project envelops successively toward said. device,and means for moving said feeding means, ,fora4 limited distance in thedirection of travel of said device during the delivery of eachl envelopthereto.

2. The combination, with a continuously moving drier belt, offeed rollsoperating to 'deliverthc envelops thereto, said feed rolls moving iu thedirection of movement of said belt during the delivering operation.

3. Thecombination,-with upper and lowerfeed belts, of a continuouslymoving drier belt havingcarrier blades thereon and means, interposedbetween said feed belts and said 'drier beltfor positively deliveringthe en velops, one at a time, to,said blades.

#L rlhe combination, with the, upper and v having carrier blades, sa'iddrier belt hav'- ing' a continuous movement, and means in- "tcrposedbetween said feed belts and said drier belt and having a limitedmovement ing drier belt having carrier blades, delivery feed belts, ofan upright, continuously movrolls interposed between said 'feed beltsand said drier belt, and means for tilting said delivery rolls in thedirection of movement of said drier belt 'duringthe delivering Opferation.' j 0.. The combination, with a feeding means, of an uprightcontinuously' moving drier belt ha ving carrier blades, a pivoted`bracketiiiterposed between said feeding means and said belt, deliveryrolls carried vby said bracket and adapted vto receive the 'articlesfrom said feeding means, and deliver them successively to said carrierblades, and means for tilting said bracket to move said deliv-v eryrolls a predetermined distance in the direction of movement of saiddrier belt. l 7. The combination, with the upper and lower feed beltsandjvheels and shafts therefor, of an upright, continuously moving drierbelt havingcarrier blades, a pivoted bracket, a cam mounted lon oneofsaid shafts and adapted-to contact with saidl bracket to vii tilt' thesame,- and delivery rolls mounted in said bracket and moved bythe`tilting thereof 'a limited vdistance' inthe direction of movement ofsaid drier belt.

8. In an envelop machine, the combination with a frame, of a'travelingdryingr de saidfra'ine transversely withy respect to the 'direction ofprojection of, saidV feeding means, whereby to adapt said, dryingvdevice to differentsizes of envelops. f

i 9; In an envelop machine, the combinai tion', with the 'upper andlower feed belts and' envelop delivery rolls adapted to'i'eceivetheenvelops fromsaidbelts, of a frame,'an upright drier belt Amounted'in `s aid frame, and-means for adjusting said frame' and drier beltlengthwiseof said delivery, rolls to adapt the drier to envelope ofdifereiit V sizes.

10. 'In an- 'envelop machine, the combination, with a traveling dryingdevice, -of` an envelop feeding means for delivering envelops to saiddrying device, means'foperatively connecting said drying device and saidfeeding means for effecting their synchronous operation, and means foradjusting the relativepositions of said drying device and said vfeedingmeaiiswithout 'changing the operative relation between them. v

prising upper and lower shafts, sprocket. wheels thereon, belts for saidrocket wheels, spindles lhaving bearings in said belts, carrier bladesmounted on said spinl1. ln an envelop machine,-a drier comdles, meansfor rocking said spindles in their bearings to move said blades to anenvelop' carrying position, and means preventing the envelops fromdropping down between said spindles as they pass over said upper shaftand sprocket wheels. 12'. In an envelop machine, a drier comprising anupright belt having rocking spindles and envelop carriers mountedthereon and flexible bands seated on said spindles on eachy side of saidcarriers and forming stops for the inner edges of the envelops. f

13. In an envelop machine, a drier comprising an upper and lower shaft,sprocket wheels mounted on said shafts and belts for said Wheels,spindles having their ends journaled in said belts, each spindle havinga lateral extension at one end forming a crank, blades mounted on saidspindles between said belts, a guide-Way wherein the ends of said cranksare slidable, said guide- `Way having upper and lower cam surfaces toengage said' cranks and rock said spindles as they pass over said uppershaft and sprockets and under said lower shaft and sprockets. f

14. In an envelop machine, a drier comprising an upper and a lower shaftand wheels mounted thereon and a carrier belt supported by said wheels,said upper shaft having vertically adjustable bearings, said beltincluding rocking spindles .having crank arms at one end and carrierblades secured to sald spindles, a guide-way for said crank arms havinga vertically adjust-4 able upper section provided with a cam surface toengage said crank arms, the adjustment of said upper shaft and saidupper guide section permitting a slackening or tightening of said belt,for the purpose specified.

15. In an envelop machine, a drying device comprising an endlessconveyer belt,

having pivotally connected links, spindles` having bearings in saidlinks, carrier blades carried bysaid spindles, and means engaging saidspindles for successively rocking said carrier blades to an envelopcarrying position.

16. In an envelop machine, a drier comprising upper and lower shafts,sprocket Wheels mounted on said shafts and belts for said wheels,spindles journaled in said belts, each spindle having at one end alateral eX- tension forming a crank, envelop carriers mounted on saidspindles, a guide-Way for said cranks, and means to engage said crankand rock said spindles, for the purpose specied.

17. In an-envelop machine, the combination with a traveling dryingdevice, of feeding means operable to project enVelo'ps successively Atoward vsaid drying device, and means for imparting bodily movement tosaid feeding mea-ns in a direction corresponding to the direction oftravel of said drying device, coincident with the delivery lof eachenvelop thereto.

18. The combination, with a pair of feed belts between which an envelopis moved forward and a continuously moving belt provided with bladesforming a carrier for the envelops during the drying process, of

an interposed transferring mechanism between said feed belts and saidcarrier, and means for imparting an initial intermittent motion to said'interposed transferring mechanism, whereby the latter is moved from aposition to receive an envelop from said feed belts in a directionparallel with the movement of said carrier.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 2d day of November1912.

EDWIN G. STAUDE. Witnesses: y

GENEVIEVE E. SoRENsEN, yEDWARD A. PAUL.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,147,762, grunted'July 27%', 1915,

upon the application of Edwin G. Stande, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, foran improvement in Envelop-Machines, an error appears in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 5, for theword driver rend drier;

.and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same ma).7 oonforrn to the record of the oase in thePatent Oiee.

Sig-ned and sealed this 24th day of August, D., r1915.Y

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

